GENERAL INFORMATION
- SEDBSL Will Provide Uniform Tops and Hats Each Season
- Players Are Responsible For Additional Equipment Including: Belts, Socks, Cleats, Gloves, Bats etc. (Cleats rubber for ages 8U-12U; 14U can wear metal spikes)
- Coaches Provided With Equipment Bags Containing: Helmets, Catchers Gear, Practice Bases, Practice Balls, Game Balls.
- Babe Ruth League Inc. is requiring defensive face masks for all players who are playing Pitcher, 1B and 3B. The league will provide 3 masks to each team, but players may choose to purchase their own personal masks. They can be purchased at Dick’s (click this link): Softball Face Guards.
Practices
- Practices Begin: mid-April
- Practice: 2 per week, 1 indoor and 1 outdoor. Each practice is ~1 hour
- Practice Days and Times: determined by your coach in conjunction with your league (subject to field availability)
– Practice days can be any day of the week (usually not Sundays unless requested)
– Practice days may change throughout the season - Practice Locations: determined by the league, with input from your coach
– Practice fields are generally located within your specific league’s boundaries– Typical commute time to practice is 10-30 minutes
See Field Locations for details on our most used fields - Scholarships Available Upon Request Based On Need
Games
- Games Begin: around the first weekend of May
- Game #: each team will play 10 regular-season games, plus an end-of-season tournament (2 games guaranteed)
- Game Days: any day of the week (no Sundays, except for rare make-up games upon coach/team approval)
- Game Times:
– Weeknight single games start between 5:30-6:30 (usually 6:00 pm)
– Weeknight double-header games start between 5:00-6:00 pm (game 1) and 7:00-7:45 pm (game 2)
– Weekend games start as early as 9:00 am and as late as 6:00 pm
– Game length is 1.5 hours, although it’s not uncommon for the final inning to extend 10-20 minutes beyond that
– Games are 6 innings (8U-12U) or 7 innings (14U-18U), unless time expires first -
Games End: last regular season games are late June
Age Cut-Off
January 1st
Register your athlete by the age they will be on JANUARY 1st
Season Length
7-8 Weeks
Spring/Summer season starts mid May and concludes at the end of June. End of Season All-Star tournaments start early July and can run through the end of August
Practice Days
1-2 Per Week
Practice days/times are determined by coaches based on availability of fields and times.
Game Days
1-2 Per Week
Game days/times are assigned by the league. Expect 1-2 games per week with one of those games on a weekend. A total of 12-14 games will be played.
Schedule Outlook
10 Games
Mid-week and Weekend games. Schedules are dependent on field availability through the city.
SOFTBALL DIVISIONS
Teams are predominantly built on player/coaching requests. In cases in which no request is made, players will be placed on teams based on geographic location or school attended. Note: if you know your coach request, you’ll have an opportunity to include that when registering on-line
COACH PITCH
8U
8U’s Description: Emphasis on basic fundamentals, object of the game, teamwork, sportsmanship and an introduction to competition. Coaches pitch from 35′. 11″ RIF safety softball is used. Maximum age on January 1st is 8 years old. Minimum age is 6 years old, but most players in this division are 7-8.
MODIFIED COACH PITCH
10U
10U’s Description: Continued emphasis on fundamentals, progression of softball knowledge and competition. Players learn to pitch and hit player-pitched balls, in a modified rules setting (see RULES for details). 11″ regular softball is used and pitching is from 35′. Maximum age on January 1st is 10 years old. Players 8 and younger with advanced skills may request to play up one age division in 10U.
PLAYER PITCH
12U
12U’s: Increased competition and progression toward full softball rules. Players pitch with regular pitching rules. 12″ regular softball is used and pitching is from 40′. Maximum age on January 1st is 12 years old. Players 10 and younger with advanced skills may request to play up one age division in 12U.
PLAYER PITCH
14U
14U’s Description: Increased competition with full softball rules (a few modified rules still in place; see RULES). Players pitch with regular rules. 12″ regular softball is used and pitching is from 43′. Maximum age on January 1st is 14 years old. Players 12 and younger with advanced skills may request to play up one age division in 14U.
BAT STANDARDS
Marked as “Official Softball Bat”
or “Official Fastpitch Bat”
NON-COMPLIANT BATS FOR – BABE RUTH SOFTBALL:
Contained below is a current listing of non-compliant bats that are not eligible, or approved, for use in any Babe Ruth Softball program or activity.
* Babe Ruth League Softball has been advised that Louisville Slugger is recalling the entire current line of the OneX fastpitch softball bat (all lengths and weights) from the market.
* Easton Ghost (GOLD) is not permitted in any level of Babe Ruth Softball Play.
This does NOT affect the (BLUE) Ghost Blue is permitted.
